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37S Preparations end Compositions. Part III.

ter than in hot: therefore it is unnecessary to use boiling wa-ter. The Edinburgh and Dublin colleges filter their solu-tions ; and if we use the precautions directed, it may be per-formed without the lime absorbing a perceptible quantity ofcarbonic acid. The bottles in which lime-water is kept shouldbe perfectly full, and well corked.

The London college do not filter, but decant off their so-lution, and if carefully performed it will be perfectly pure jand the directions given by them, in their last edition, ofkeeping their lime-water upon an excess of lime, is certainlyan advantage, as we are sure of its being always saturated,for fresh lime will be always dissolved to supply the place ofthat rendej-ed insoluble, and precipitated by the absorption ofcarbonic acid. t

Lime-water is transparent and colourless. It has an austereacrid taste, and affects vegetable colours as the alkalies do.Good lime-water is precipitated white by alkaline carbonates,and orange by corrosive sublimate. It enters very readily in-to combination with all the acids, sulphur, and phosphorus,and decomposes the alkaline carbonates, phosphates, fluates,borates, oxalates, tartrates, and citrates, the ammoniacal ace-tates, muriates and succinates, the sulphates of alumina andmagnesia, the metallic salts, spiritous liquors, and astringentsubstances.

Medical use. —When applied to the living fibre, lime-watercorrugates and shortens it; it therefore possesses astringentpowers. Jt is also a powerful antacid, or at least it combineswith, and neutralizes acids when it comes in contact withthem. It also dissolves mucus, and kills intestinal worms.From possessing these properties, it is used in medicine, indiseases supposed to arise from laxity and debility of the so-lids, as diarrhoea, diabetes, leucorrhcea, scrofula, and scurvy ;in affections of the stomach accompanied with acidity andflatulence ; when the intestines are loaded with mucus; andin worms. Lime-water is scarcely capable of dissolving, evenout of the body, any of the substances of winch urinary cal-culi consist; it has therefore no pretensions to the characterof a lithontriptic. It has been al.-o recommended in crustalactea, in cancer, and in chronic cutaneous diseases. Exter-nally, it is applied to ill-conditioned ulcers, gangrenous sores;as a wash in tinea capitis and psora; and as an injection ingonorrhoea, fistulas, and ulcers of the bladder.

When taken internally, its taste is said to be best coveredby lukewarm milk. Its dose is commonly from two to four